Electrolytic process of purifying liquids.



PATENTED JUNE 18 1907,

J. '1. HARRIS. ELECTROLYTIC PROCESS OF PURIPYING LIQUIDS.

RENEWED NOV.20, 1906.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 20, 1903.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1 lilycnwr Witnesses:

J. T. HARRIS.

V PATENTED- JUNE 13,1907:

ELEGTROLY TIG PROCESS OF PURIFYING LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1903. RENEWED K0120, 1906.

USU

a snnnrs snnn'r 2.

.Jtt ys J. T. HARRIS. ELEGTROLYTIG PROCESS OF PURIFYING LIQUIDS.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 20, L903. RENEWED HOV.20, 190B.

PATENTED JUNE 18, 1907.

3'SHEETSSHEET 3.

' r gr To, all whom it may concern;

'JOHN T. HARRIS, or NEW YORK, N.'Y.

EVLECTROLYTICPROIQES'S of|= PumFYme LIQUIDS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1 907.

Application filed June 20, 1903. Renewed November 20, 1906. I Serial No. 344.315.

Be it known that I, JOHN T HARRIS, a citizen of the-United States, residin at New York city, in the county of New ork and State of New'York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrolytic Process of Purifyin Liquids, of which the following isa speci cation.

This process is especially intended for the treatment of water, to remove impurities such as organic matter and mineral salts, and produce a perfectly clear, bri ht and palatagle water, sterilized and free rom color and or. 1

In carrying out the process, an electric current is passed through the water or other liquid to be purified, and the liquidis simultaneously subjected to the action of a magnetic field. The anodes are preferably of a magnetic metal which will yie dan insoluble, flocculent hydroxid, and specifically of iron. The magnetic field, acting upon the iron anodes and the liquid in contact with them,

increases the volume of hydroxid produced This hydroxid combines with and coagulates the organic matter -in the water, and the coagul-um is subsequently removed by sedimentation or filtration, or, both. The water is preferably agi-' tated and thoroughly aerated during trcat ment, by injecting upward through it streams of'filtered air, which may be partially ozonized, In some cases, especially when the water contains free acid, coagulation and removal of theimpurities is facilitated by the introduction of a suitable reagent, before, during or after the electrolytic treatment.

The process may be carried out b various forms of apparatus. One which as been found suitable for the purpose is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1, is a side elevation of the electro-' lytic tank, the middle portion being broken out; Fig. 2, is a side elevation of the electrolytic tank viewed from the opposite side; Fig. 3,.is a longitudinal, vertical section of the tank; Fig. 4, is a transverse, vertical sec tion of the tank, on line IV-IV of Fig. 1.

' Fig.5, is a plan view of a set of pi es for-in troducing air or steam into the tan Fig.- 6, is a plan view of one group' of electrodes; Fig. 7, is a vertical section of a settling tank and filter; and Fig. 8, is a vertical section of a modified construction," employing a settling tank, a vessel for introducing a chemical agent, an electrolytic cell for re-treating the 7 ries, the'electrodes being paralle to the sidesof the tank so that water introduced at one end of the tank may fiow without-obstruction between the electrodes of each group.

group of electrodes, both poles of the magnet extending down-into close proximity to the electrodes.

Beneath each roup of electrodes is a set of transverse perf birated pipes 4, leading from a manifold 5. Valved ipes 6 pass through one side of the tank an one of these pi es is coupled to each manifold. A valve air pipe 7 and a valved steam ipe 8 deliverto a pipe 9, from which lead t e several branch pipes 6. A valved pipe 10 delivers the water orother liquid'tobe treated to one end of the tank, and a valved pipe 11, at the other end of the tank, delivers the treated water to settling tank or filter. A valved overflow pipe 12 leadsfrom the delivery end of the tank, near its to tank, beneath eac group of electrodes, is an opening 13, closed by a cover 14, which screws into a ring 15, bolted to the bottom of the tank. These openings serve for the removal of any recipltated iron, iron h droxid or other so id matter which may co lect at the bottom of the tank. The electrodes are referably thin, rectangular plates ofwro'ug t iron, although other In the bottom .of the metals such as alum1nium,-zinc, manganese,

the electric current, willyield a coagulating agent. Iron'hprfectly satisfies these conditions, since it, as the highest magnetic permeability, and is readilv converted by the combined action of-the electric current, mag-- netic field and injected air, into a voluminous,

colloidal hydroxid, which combines, with every particle of organic'matter in the water, producing a coagulum which can be easily settled out or removed by filtration. group of electrodes shown comprise fourteen anodes, 2 and thirteen cathodes il, arranged Each- 4 65 j An electromagnet 3 is supported above each in alternation. The end'of eachanodeisper- Y forated and projectsbeyondthe endof the group of electrodes. A threaded iron rod 16 passes through the apertured end of each anode and is clamped in good electrical contact with the anodes by nutsl? ,two ofthese,

nuts lying between and serving to space adjacent anodes, and one nut being outside each outermost anode. yThe endsof the rod 16 o pass through openings in vertical wooden plates 18 arranged at the sidesof the grou L of electrodes. -Therod16 thus serves bot as an electric conductor and a support for one end of the anodes. The endsof t e cathr5 odes, 2', are also 1perforated and extend be-" yond the end of t e group of electrodes. A threaded iron rod 16' extends'through andis clamped to the ends of the cathodes by nuts 17 Rod '16, passes through. the wooden 2o 'lates 18 and serves as a negative conductor r i or the cathodes;

Beneath the middle portion of each group of electrodes is a transverse iron rod 19,-

which extends through and is clamped to the e5 wooden plates 18.

pon this rod mm insulating sleeve 20, preferably of hard rubber, which serves as a support for both anodes and cathodes. Upon oneside of the tank are secured two superposed sets of insulators, 21 3c the insulators of each set being in alinement.

Co er rods 22 and 22' are su orted in the PP PP i of the tank and is coupledto the end of'an iron rod '15., Similar straps 23'are secured to the upper' rod 22" and each bolted to a pin 25 whichis coupled to an iron rod 16'. the side plates 18, rest uponpi-pes land mani fold 5,which, in turn, are supported b a blocks2tton thebottorn of the. tank-L 'Eac electromagnet," '3, is removably" supported above the corresponding group of electrodes the side plates 18., It will be seen that each group of electrodes, with "its side plates 18, is acompactunit, which can be removedfrom 5 5: the tank when the terminal pins 25,- 25', are

uncoupled. i a

Referring now to-Fig. 7 :the outlet pipe 11 ofthe electrolytic tank; delivers the treated water, with the coaglulum in suspension, into the settling vesse 29. By leaving the water this tanklor asuflicientperio the impurities maybe entirely settled out and withdrawn from thebottom of the vessel through valved outlet 30. account of I the time required-for the subsidence pf the ozonized, etc., xbf a stream of gas introduced shown cou led to pipe 31, between thesea 'tling vesse and the second electrolytic tanln e positive terminal in city mains.

by a wooden frame 27, resting directly upon.

coagulum, it is preferable to withdraw the water, when partially purified, through a valved outlet 31 and topass it through the filter32. Whilethe water is still 111 the, settling vessel 29, it may be carbonated,

through a pe rated pipex33., In some cases, the water may be delivered'through a by-pass, not shown, to a pipe 34, leading di rectly'into the filter. l

Fi 8 shows a modified construction in whic a second electrol tic tank 35 is interosed between the settling vessel 29 and the y lter 32. A second treatment of the Water is, however, rarely necessary. A vessel 36 is This vesselserves for thepre aration-andim troduction of a reagent, suc as lime water,

or milk oflime, which is desirable in the treatment of water containing acid import ties, This; vessel has a hopper 37 for introducingthe reagent and a vertical revolving stirrer 38 with radial arms 39, for thoroughly intermingling the reagent and the water or othersolvent. i v

In employing the described apparatus to carry out the process, the tank is first filled with the liquid Ito be purified and afull stream of the liquid is thereafter passed into, 9 5 through and out of the tank, the length of the tank and the number of electrodes and electromagnets bein suitably proportioned to the size of the in at and discharge i es It has been'found'that ten groups or ,e ec- 10o trodes, each compr sing fifteenanodes and fourteen cathodes, in. a tank having a capacity of 3,000 gallons, are'sufiicient for the treatment of the amount of water carried through the tank by inlet and outlet pipes having an inside diameter of three inches,

the waterbeing supplied at the pressure usual As the water owe between the electrodes, it is traversed by the electric current, about "thirty amperes at a pressure of from sevento ten volts'heingusually su plied to: each group oi electrodes Tr e electromagnets, which are preferably con nected in series, are simultaneously energised, usually by a current oi from eight to ten amperes. The current supplied to the electrodes and electromagnetic is usually direct, but may be alternating, especially if both electrodes are of iron Air, which is usually filtered and which may he partially ozonized, isinjected through the perforated pipes during the treatment, usually at a pres sure of five pounds to a square incite may advantageously be introduced tlnpugh the pipefi, to heat the liquid and "facilitate the production and action. of the coagulant,

The chemical reactions eil ected by the joint actionot the electrolyzing current magnetic field and injected air, are, complicated and dependent on the liquid treated L1 0 thought to take place in the treatment of water such as is su lied by the distributing mains in the cit o ew York. This water will be assume to contain carbonates and sulfates of calcium and magnesium, alkali chlorids, organic matter and bacteria. The anions of the water and mineral salts therein partly combine with the iron of the anodes, producing iron hydroxids, chlorids, carbonates and sulfates. are then largel hydrol zed, giving a further amount of hy roxid. he injected airalso facilitates or increases the yield of hydroxids. Some of theelectrolytiooxy en, or ozone, and chlorin react upon and ecompose the albuminoids and other organic matter. The hydro en liberated at the. cathode, distributed t roughout the water b the vigorous agitation due to the injecte air, attaches itself in minute bubbles to the particles of iron hydroxid, thus making. it of looser texture and more flocculent, and assisting l'to ad maintain it in suspension until it has time to fully coagulate all of the organic matter. droxids formed at the cathode decompose the bicarbonates in solution, reci itating them as normal carbonates. T ese hydroxids also react on the iron salts to produce iron h droxids, and combine with some of the c lorin from the anodes to produce hypo-, chlorites, which decom ose the organic matter andsterilize and The strong magnetic field within which the treatment'is effected, rendering the elec-' trodes highly magnetic, notably increases the volume of ferrous and ferric hydroxid produced by the electric currentand the inected air, with 'orwithout the'production of an increased weight or mass of the hydroxid. This increased volume is thought to be largely due to some physical differences, such as an increase of porosity or flocculent character. Repeated tests under otherwise identical conditlons and upon the same water have shown this increase n the volume of the coagulent, and a more effective purification of'the water.

When the water contains notable quantities of sulfates or free sulfuric acid, as is the case with manyriver waters which receive factory wastes, some of the iron sulfates produced in the apparatus remains 1n solution and passes on to the settling tank and filter. In such event lime water, milk of lime, or a very (lilute solution of caustic soda, is introduced into the water, preferably after treatment and before the coagulum is separated. The iron is thereby precipitated, while the Sillfuric acid combines with the lime, also precipitating it.

It is desirable to clean theelectrodes occasionally, to remove any adherent slime.

The iron salts so produced The alkali and alkali metal hyecolorize the water.

This maybe easily effected by placing a long rubber blanket upon the electrodes, filling flushes out the foreign matter. In continuous o eration, the heavy sediment which accumu lates in the tank should be removed throu h the bottom outlets about once a mont When the ap aratus is not in use over night, it is desirab e, u on starting it in operation, to first fill the tan with water and pass the full electric current, with injection of air, for five minutes; then to flush out the tank with a full stream of water.

y The top of the tank is here shown open but it may be closed, so as to work under pressure. A continuous in'ection of air durng the operation'will often e found unnecessary, but is desirable, both on account of the chemical action and. the thorough agitation effected by it. By the use of sufficient current, the water treated in the tank may be so heavily charged with the iron coagulant as to 1. The process of purifying liquids, which consists in magnetizmg an anode of a material which will yield a coagulant, passing an electric current from the magnetized anode through the impure liquid, and separating the impurities from the treated liquid, as set forth.

2. The process of purifying liquids, which consists in ma netizmg an anode of a material which wilFyield a coagulant, moving astream of the impure liquid past themagnetized anode, assmg an electric current from the anode through the moving liquid, and separating the impurities from the treated liquid, as set forth.

3. The process of purifying liquids, which consists in moving a stream of the im ure .lliquid through a series of electrodes w \ich will yield a coagulant, electrolyzing the moving liquid and simultaneously sub ecting the electrodes and liquid to the action of a magnetic field, and separating the impurities from the treated liquid, as set forth.

4'. The process of purifying liquids, which consists in magnetizing an anode of a mateillustrated and described :rialwhich will yield a coagulant; passing an electric current from the magnetizedanode through the impure liquid, simultaneously injecting a gas throughthe' liquid, and soparating the impurities from the treated liquid,asset forth.

' 5. The process'of purifyii'ig liquids, which consists in magnetizing an anode of a materialxwhich will yield a coagulant, passingan electric currentfrom the magnetized anode throuwhthe impure liquid, simultaneously injecting air through th'eliquiihand selparatiquul,

, 6. The process o f"purifying liquids, which consists in magnetizmg an anode of a mate;

rial which will yield a coagulant, moving a, stream of the impure liquidpast the magnetized anode,. passing an electric current "from the anode through-the moving liquid, simultaneously i1 ,ecting air through the liquid and separating the impurities from "the treated liquid, as set-forth. k

. '7, Theprocess of u if i liquitjsyqvhicll consists in movinga stream of the inn ure liquid through a series of electrodes w rich will yield a coagulant, e'lectrolyzing the 1novuig liquid, simultaneously subjecting the iialectrodesand liquid to the action of a magnetic held and injected air, and separating the impurities from the treated liquid, asset forth.

The process of liquids, which consists in passing arr-electric current through theimpure liquidirom' a metallic anode which will yielc a coagulant, simultaneously subjecting the anodeand liquid to the action of a ma netic field, coagulatin the impurities, and separating the co'agu urn from the liquidyas set forth i, 9. Theprocess of purifying liquids, which i consists in'passing an electric current through the impure liqu d from almetallic anode which will yiel acolloidal hydrozrid, simuh e and liquid to the action of a magnetic field,- coagulating and separatingthe coagulum from the liquid,

' from the iquid, as set forth.

18. The process of purifying liquids, which 1 consists in passing an electric currentfrom a i the impurities by the electrolytic hydroxid,

as set forth.- i i 1,0. The process ofpurifying liquids, which magnetized iron anode through the impure liquid, thereby producing a colloidal iron compound, coagulating the "impurities by said compound, and se arating the coagulum iquid, asset orth. v i

11. The process of purifying liquids, which consists in movin a stream of the/impure liquid past 9. meta 11c anode which will yield ,a coagulant, simultaneously subjecting the anode and movingliquid to the action of a nia netic; field, coagulating the impurities,

" and se arating the coagulum from the liquid,

as set orth.

l2; j'Ihe prooessof purifying liquids, which consists in moving a stream of the impure liquid through a series 'of'magnetiaed iron electrodes, thereby producing a colloidal iron compound, coagulating the impurities by said compound, and se arating the coagulum from the liquid, as set orth 13., The process of purifying liquids, which consists inpassing an electric current-through the impure li uid from a metallic anode which will yielil a coagulant, simultaneously agitating the liquid and subjecting theanode and liquid to the action of a magnetic field,

coagulating the impurities, and separating thecoagulum from the liquid, as set forth '14, The process ofpurify-ing liquids, which coiisrsts in passing an electric current through through the liquid, thereby producing a' colloidal iron compound, coagulating the intpurities by said compound and separating the coagululu from the li uid, as set forth.

15. The process of puri 'ying liquids, which consists in moving'a stream of the impure liquid throughaseries of groups of magnet-v ized iron electrodes, simultaneously passing an electric current and jets of air through the moving liquid, therel) producing an iron ooagulan t, coagulating t e impurities, and separating the coagulumirom the liquid, as set fort-ht 16, The process of purifying liquids, which consists in magnetizing an anode of a mate TOQ ized anode, thereby producing an iron coagulan't, adding" to the liquid a reagent which will assist in the production of the coagulant,

combining the coagulant, with the impurities 1 U in the li uid, and-separating the coagulum consists electrolyzing the impure liquid by? passing it between electrodes which are spacedapart, the anode or anodesbeing e15 iron and simultaneously injecting air into the 11 uld, thereby producing an rroncoagulant,

a ding to thehquid a reagent which will as sist in the production of the coagulant, som

the liquid, and separating the coagulum from'the liquid, as set forth.

19. The process of purifying liquids, which trolyziug the impure liquid with the magnetized anode, and simultaneously, injecting air into the liquid, thereby producing an iron co "bining thecoagulant with the impurities in consists in magnetizing an iron anode, elec will assist in the productlon of the coagulant,

combining the coagulant with the impurities in the li uid, and separating the coagulum I from the iquid, as set forth. I

20. The process of purifying liquids, which consists in electrolyzing the impure liquid by passing it between' electrodes which are spaced apart, the anode or anodes being of a material which will'yield a coagulant, simultaneously injecting a gas through the liquid, coagulating the impurities, and separating Fhe Icoagulurn from the treated liquid, as set 'ort i.

21. The process of purifying liquids, which consists in electrolyzing the impure liquid by passing it between electrodes I which are spaced apart, the anode or anodesbeing of iron and simultaneously injecting air through the liquid, thereby producing an iron coagulant, coagulating the impurities, and separating the coagulum from the treated liquid, as set forth.

22. The process of purifying liquids, which consists in passing a stream of the im ure liquid by passing it between electrodes w uch are spaced a art, the anode or anodes being of a materia which will yield a coagulant, simultaneously injecting air between the electrodes, coagulating the impurities, and separating the coagulum from the treated liquid,

as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affiir my signature in presence of two witnesses. JOHN T. HARRIS.

- Witnesses:

GEORGE S. BIXBY, v E. A. MAOOLEAN. 

